CATL begins large-scale use of humanoid robots in factory

CATL, the world’s largest EV battery maker, has begun large-scale use of humanoid robots at its Zhongzhou factory in Luoyang, central China.

The robots, built by Chinese startup Spirit AI, are handling complex assembly tasks such as plugging in high-voltage battery connectors—work that previously posed safety risks to humans.

CATL said these Xiaomo robots, powered by its own batteries and equipped with AI for real-time adjustments, have matched the speed of skilled workers.

The company claims the robots achieved a 99% success rate in their plug-in tasks and can work continuously, reportedly tripling the daily workload of human staff.

Several other Chinese manufacturers are also deploying humanoid robots.

Changan Automobile recently invested 225 million yuan (US$31.8 million) in a robotics venture and plans to release prototypes in 2026.

Xpeng, another EV maker, unveiled a new robot called Iron, and set a sales target of 1 million units by 2030.

🔗 Source: South China Morning Post

🧠 Food for thought

Implications, context, and why it matters.

CATL’s robot rollout lacks metrics that reveal economic viability

CATL cites 99%+ success and a tripled daily workload 1. It gives no deployment scale or unit count 1 2. Per-robot cost and Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) are unknown 1 2. Uptime, payback periods, and yield impact remain unknown 1 2.
Chinese humanoids cost 300k to 500k yuan ($42k to $70k) 3. 100k yuan targets a 2-year Return on Investment (ROI) for mass use 3. CATL backs Spirit AI and can tie robots to its batteries, yet the case stays hazy without TCO data 1 2.
Embodied AI (AI that controls physical robots in real-world environments) still struggles with complex steps 3. Robotic hands often lack strength, flexibility, and durability for long shifts 3. That likely explains the high-voltage connector scope at Zhongzhou 1 2.

Automakers expand humanoid pilots and open near-term work for integration and maintenance firms

Pilots are slated for 2025 at Xpeng, Mercedes-Benz, and Zeekr (Geely’s EV brand) 3 4 5. 30+ Chinese firms plan mass production in 2025 3 4 5. Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) back startups such as RobotEra, with Geely Capital and BAIC Capital investing 6.
China expects over 10,000 humanoid sales in 2025, up 125% year over year 7. Providers in predictive maintenance, anomaly detection, and training can move now 6 4. Galbot is deploying at Mercedes-Benz and Zeekr 4. RobotEra has $70 million in 2025 orders 6. Wheeled humanoids suit factories for stability and battery life 3 4.